Landlord locks cops in property amid dispute with tenants

It's a place where people come to get fit, but a suburban gym has been working through a stronghold session of a different kind.

Utopia Fitness and Health in the Sydney suburb of Mascot is up against one of Australia's biggest property developers, the Meriton Group.

Sam Kolouris and his business partner Beau Lagarde admit they're working their way through some financial difficulties, but never did they imagine they would be faced with such heavy-handed tactics from big business.

"They're the largest landlord in Australia and this is how they're treating people," Mr Kolouris said.